EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
By Jason Nihles, Fennimore Times, The Platteville Journal
Ian Crapp, Sr., 144 pounds; Evan Gratz, Sr., 285; Tristan Steldt, Jr., 157; and Rachel Schauer, Sr., 165 girls; Fennimore wrestling
MADISON — The Fennimore wrestling team added another page to the program record book this past weekend at the WIAA Individual State Championships at the Kohl Center in Madison.
Seniors Rachel Schauer, Evan Gratz and Ian Crapp, as well as junior Tristan Steldt each won individual state championships in front of the capacity crowd Saturday night.
Fennimore has now won 14 individual state championships, with 12 coming in the past 10 years.
The four state titles is the most at a single tournament, beating last year’s school record of three (Brett Birchman, Steldt, and Gratz).
Schauer became the first Fennimore girl to win a WIAA state title — she did win a Wisconsin Wrestling Federation girls state title in 2021 as a freshmen —since the WIAA began sponsoring girls wrestling in 2022.
And Steldt and Gratz became the first two-time state champions in school history with title bout victories Saturday night.
“I will be honest, I do not pay attention to records and titles because I want the kids to just fall in love with the process of getting better in whatever they do,” said Fennimore head coach Chad Steldt. “Titles will come if we do it right. This can be applied to anything in life worth doing.
“I think in the past 10 years Fennimore has really taught the kids how to love the sport and the process that is needed to be successful in their own individual way while at the same time building a strong team bond that is like a family. We have tweaked things over the years to make the program overall better, but really the philosophy of daily progress, both physically and mentally, and consistency throughout the year is at the bedrock of our accomplishments.”
Crapp (30–5) opened Fennimore’s championship parade Saturday night by beating top-seeded and #1-ranked Colton Weiler (51–2) a junior from Auburndale, 3–2 to win the Division 3 144-pound title.
Crapp, who finished second a year ago at 132, began his state championship trek with a quarterfinal pin (2:26) of Zach Malin (30–16) of La Crosse Aquinas Friday morning. He then scored a dominating 17–2 technical fall over eventual fourth-place finisher Brock Hinderman of Iowa–Grant/Highland in Friday night’s semifinals.
“Our state champs were on Saturday night,” said coach Steldt. “Ian Crapp has a focus about him that is unparalleled. He is in tune to his body and his strengths, heck he wears his 24–7 fitness tracker at all times to see how his body is doing pre, during, and post competition. It shows too. He has grown to be quite a specimen when it comes to muscle to fat ratio. It is truly a lifestyle for him. Above that, the increased level of commitment he had this past year put him over the edge to win that state title Saturday night.”
Tristan Steldt (41–4) won Fennimore’s next title Saturday night with a dominating 16–4 major decision over No. 3 seed Micah Kuchta of Coleman at 157 pounds.
Steldt, the 160-pound D3 champion a year ago, had a 58-second pin in the quarterfinals and an 11–3 major decision over Clear Lake’s Tyler Sunday (45–3).
“Tristan wrestled loose and smart,” said coach Steldt. “Win or lose he has learned that it is all a process of improving himself individually. Even after the state title he made a comment that he needed to fix the last minute of that match so he can technically fall next time. I mean you just won the title and his mind is already thinking steps ahead.
“I would have to say he has navigated the waters of being the coach’s son quite well. It is extremely stressful on him to have his dad at the forefront of the program and the external chaos that he has to deal with. I think for Tristan it is like a weight off his own back when he wins that title because it helps silence the critics.”
Schauer (25–0) completed an undefeated season and made history as Fennimore’s first female WIAA state champion with a 2:58 pin of tournament Cindarella-story Kalie Davis (18–5), a junior from Belmont/Platteville, in the girls 165-pound title bout.
The eighth-seeded Davis stunned the Kohl Center Friday morning when she pinned two-time defending state champion and #1-ranked Cyrianna Reinwald (22–2) of Horicon in the quarterfinals.
Schauer, who finished second to Reinwald a year ago at 165, pinned her way to the finals with pins over Cameron’s Keara Butterfield (2:27), Nicolet’s Victoria Jewell (1:59) and Sun Prairie’s Sophia Bassino (4:44) in the first three rounds.
“Rachel has put in years of work to get the point of winning the state title,” said Steldt. “She is well deserving of her accomplishment which will definitely propel her into the college scene. She along with our other three finalists have universities after them because of their success.
“I think Rachel will do great at the next level. Her love for the sport is becoming her own journey, and her own vision, and when this mentally happens the sky’s the limit.”
Gratz (39–5) was equally as dominant in his march to a second-straight title with pins over Kewaunee’s Mitchell Boeder (1:28) and Riverdale’s Grant Mathews (3:35) before a hard-fought 2–1 victory over No. 2 seed Vanden Hoffman (44–1) of Weyauwega–Fremont in the finals.
“Evan will be a mantra we will use for some time to come,” added Steldt. “He is beyond a special heavyweight. He truly found peace and happiness in the circle.
“It at times took me kicking him in the rear to keep him in line, but he has followed through and has accomplished more than any other wrestler in Fennimore history. He is a double All-America, a two-time state champ, and has mad several national teams over the past four years. He is destined to be great at the next level.”
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Elliott Biba, Sr., 138 pounds, Iowa–Grant/Highland wrestling
The second-ranked Iowa–Grant/Highland wrestling team closed out its season Saturday at the Kohl Center with a strong showing at the WIAA Individual State Tournament.
Senior Elliott Biba gave eventual four-time state champion Dawson Cumberland a battle in Saturday night’s Division 3 138-pound championship match before falling 7–2.
After first-round bye, Biba (35–1) score a 20–5 tech fall over Marathon’s Dylan Dodson, then pinned New Lisbon’s Reid Sawyer (4:51) to reach the earn a championship match showdown with Johnson (58–0).
“Elliott had a great tournament earning state runner-up honors,” said Allen. “The kid he lost to in the finals is a stud and I thought Elliott wrestled him well. I’m very proud of Elliott not only for his success on the mat but off the mat as well. He is a great leader and we will definitely miss him next year.”
Kalie Davis, Jr., 165 pounds, Belmont/Platteville girls wrestling
Belmont/Platteville junior Kalie Davis pulled off perhaps the biggest upset of this year’s WIAA Wrestling State Tournament Individual.
The eighth-seeded Davis pinned defending 165-pound girls state champion and top-ranked Cyriana Reinwald (22–2) in Friday morning’s quarterfinals, handing the Horicon junior her first loss of the season.
Davis (18–5), who was making school history as the first girl state qualifier from Platteville, opened her state tournament run with a 2:39 pin of Wausau West’s Anya Meuller (32–13) in Thursday’s opening round and went to place second in the girls one division 165-pound bracket.
Davis pinned Bonduel freshman Alisha Berg just before the final buzzer of the third period in Friday night’s semifinal before matching up with undefeated No. 2 seed Rachel Schauer of Fennimore. Schauer finished second to Reinwald a year ago at 165 pounds.
Saturday night, Schauer (25–0) ended Davis’ Cindarella run to the finals, with a second period pin at 2:50 to cap an undefeated season and win her first WIAA state title.
"Kalie was locked in all weekend, and it showed," said BP head coach Emeric Williams. "Pinning her way to the state finals, including a fall over the two-time returning state champ in the quarters. She was the eight seed and on paper was not even supposed to place, but everyone in our room thought she was good enough to make the finals, and that’s exactly what she did. Kalie becomes our first ever girls sectional champ, state placer, and state finalist all in one go. She made a lot of history during her state tournament run and it was truly something special to be a part of."
Dodgeville lightweights Shane Rochan, 106; Haakon Peterson, 113; Charlie Meudt, 120 and Reid Spurley, 126.
The four Dodgeville lightweights swept the Division 2 titles at 106, 113, 120 and 126. The four Dodgers finished the season with a combined record of 156–1! Freshman Shane Rochon (54–1) won the 106-pound title with a 4–2 decision over Amery freshman Westin Ingham (40–9). Sophomore Haakon Peterson (46–0) capped a perfect season at 113 pounds with a 20–5 major decision over Richland Center junior Ethan Hady (39–10).
Senior Charlie Meudt (47–0) capped his own perfect season with a 5–3 win over New London senior Wyatt Magolski (46–4) in the 120-pound championship. Senior Reid Spurley (9–0), who missed the entire regular season with an injury, won the 126-pound state title with a 7–4 victory over Brillon junior. Bob Huntley (56–4).
Owen Seffrood, Jr., 144 pounds, Darlington/Black Hawk wrestling
Seffrood capped a perfect 49–0 junior season with a gritty 2–1 victory over Saint Croix Falls senior Kellen Kelly (48–4). Seffrood advance to the finals with a 20–6 major decision over Baldwin–Woodville's Graiden Monicken (31–9) and a 16–4 major decision over Luxemburg–Casco's Isaac Jerabek (36–11) in Friday night's semifinals.
